Folding box



P. A. HOFFMAN.

FOLDING BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1919.

1,339,339. v Patented May 4,1920.

WITNESSES IN l/E N TOR v Br I I /k, I

A TTOBNE Y8 P. A..HOFFMAN.

FOLDING BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26. i919.

Patented May 4, 1920:

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ill nwmmn WITNESSES gory m o 701M578 PETER ALBERT HOFFMAN, 0F HASTINGS, MINNESOTA.

FOLDING- BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 19 20.

Application filed July 26, 1919. Serial No. 313,458.

The general object of the invention is to provide a folding box of the indicated type which can be variously folded to produce different capacities of receptacle whereby the box may be made to exactly and tightly fit its contents.

A further important object of the invention is to provide for the proper sealing of the ends of the package to thereby overcome a defect in and annoyance attending the'use of packages of the form now generally used, the end sealing of which falls far short of what is desirable.

More specifically, the invention has for its object to carry out the principle of the variable size of the box in such manner and by such means as to permit of the box being given the particular size desired quickly and with facility and promote convenience in the folding and sealingof the box,

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of practical examples of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan View of a box in knocked down form;

Fig.2 is a side elevation with the bod of the box folded but with the sealing wrapper unfolded;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box completely folded and sealed, part of the wrapper being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the preferred form of the invention with respect to the wrapper which is provided with members for the proper sealing of the ends of the package. I I

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the box shown in Fig. 4 but folded and partially sealed, the final sealing flap shown ready to be positioned.

Referring more particularly to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3,

the box is formed with two crossing strips or sheets, 10, 11, of light cardboard. The box presents a central panel 12 which I term the body panel and which forms one side of the box, advantageously the face. The box has applied to it a wrapper 13 along three sides of which mucilage or other adhesive is applied as lndlcated at 13.

The numeral 14 indicates the end panels which are integral with the main panel and foldable relatively to the latter on the score line 14. Integral with the end panels 14 are foldable flaps 15 adapted to fold over the back of the box or side opposite the panel 12 and said flaps 15 are integral with the end panels 14. The numeral 16 indicates narrow panels, three being shown in the present instance joining each flap 15 with an end panel 14, said panel 16 being defined by score lines 17. The arrangement is such that the material may be folded on either of the lines 17, so that one or more of the adjusting panels 16 maybe made part of either the adjacent end panel 14 or the adjacent flap 15 to vary the relative sizes of the end panels and their associated flaps. Thus, each end panel may be given an area equaling the endpanel 14 or said panel plus one or all of the panels 16 or, on the other hand, a folding end flap may have included in its area one or all of the panels 16 leaving the ends of the box to be formed solely by the end panels 14. The height of the box can thus be made to correspond with the height of the folded end panels 14 or these panels plus one or more of the panels 16.

Similarly, the side panels 18 which are joined to the main body panel 12 are integral with flaps 19, foldable to form the back of the box or that face opposite the main panel 12, there being intermediate narrow panels 20 defined by the score lines 21, where-' by one or more of the panels 20 may be made to form with the group of panels 18 the sides of the box, or on the other hand any or all of the panels 20 may be made to form with the flaps 19 the back of the box or that face opposite the body panel 12. The panels 14 and 18 are of corresponding width and the score lines 21 defining the panels 20 have the same relation to the panel 18 that the score lines 17 have to the end panels 14, whereby the respective score lines at the sides and ends and the panels defined thereby may be made to aline when the material is folded on the corresponding score lines at the sides and ends so that the sides of the box and the endsmay readily be given cor- 1 321 and vdefining narrow panels 22. Thus,

1 height or thickness of box produced by fold- 7 thickness, that is to say, with the sides 'and ends of the box of a height represented I by the width of the panels 14., 18, all the panels 16 and 20 will fold with the flaps the material may be folded on either of the score lines 23 to conform to a given ing on particular score lines 17, 21. If the box be made of the maximum thickness, that is to say, with the sides formed jointly by the panels 18 and all the narrow panels as in Fig. ,2, then the panels 22 will remain in the plane of the flaps 19 in forming the face of the box opposite the body panel v12. If the box be of the minimum and 19 to form the face of the box opposite the main panel 12 and in that case the side flaps 19 and the panels 20 will equal the. width of the panel 12 and completely form athat face of the box opposite said panel 12.

. panels 22 will be folded down at the sides In this case the material will be folded on the innermost score lines 23 sothatthe of the box to overlap said sides.

. I-n Fig'. 3, at the left, I have indicated 1 the box so folded that only one panel 20 jointly forms with the adjacent panel 18, the side of the box, the remainin panels the. flap 19 at a face of the box. In this case two panels 22 fold down at the adj acent side of the box while the other panels 22 remain in the plane of the flap 19. JVhile in Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown the differently adjusted boxeswith sharp angles at the.

panels 20, 22, it will be readily understood that in practice, in drawing the foldable panels and flaps tightly over the packet of currency or like material, the side edges of the packet will be pressed down out of.

really square form so that the box may not be squared when adjusted, from which it will be'readily understood that more or less of the panels 20 will be drawn into the plane or approximate plane of the flap 19 and more or less of the panels 22 will be drawn down or partially down over the adjacent side of the box. In fact, it will be evidentthat the provision of the adjusting panels and their defining score lines provide a means lending to the foldable members a superior flexibility at the areas provided be tween the respective end and side panels and the flaps associated therewith to pervvwith wax or equivalent sealing material as indicated at 13 Fig. 3.

.In the form of the invention illustrated in Figsr l and 5 which is preferred, the: wrapper 13 corresponds vin'general-witli the wrapper 13 in that it is provided along the side edges with adhesive material toconstitute said side edges, adhering members 13, said edgesextending beyond the sides ofthestripping 10. as in the first construction and in addition I providelaterally projecting flaps 1 3 having adhesive material thereon and positioned atthe ends jof the wrapper so thatwhenthewrapper is folded j about the sides of the :lDQX, said flapsjlZ-l may be folded downward over the ends of the package against the outer facesof the endpanels 14:,the adhesive sideportions 13 being foldedeither at the inside of the flaps 13 oroutside of the same as in Fig, 5. Finally, there is a flap13? with adhesive terial extending outside of and in the same direction as the panels 1 1, 15 7 correspond ing with the portions 14,1511; the first construction. Thefiap 13 is of a suflicient width to overliethe previously folded and adhering members 13, 13 so as tojefl'ectively'a-nd neatly seal the end of the pack- 20 being folded over to lie in the plane ofage. In additionthe flap 13 is of sufficient length to overlie one of the. sides of the package as shown at'the left in Fig. 5, thus producing a locking action which will assist in producing not only a tight sealing action,

.. but a retaining action. In-the form shown ,1n Figs. f and 5 the various panels and related members aresimilar to the correspond- 'ing features in the first construction except as to their relative proportions. Therefore, I'have designated those panels,fold-over flaps, and score lines corresponding respectively with the similar elements in the first construction, bythe same reference characters but having exponents. The dotted lines 13 and the full lines 13 13, Fig. l,

indicate the defining linesof the ungummed area of the wrapper 13, the defining linesof the ungummed area, Fig. 1, beingindicated by the character 13K 1 v I would state in conclusion that while; the illustrated example constitute practical embodiments of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A folding receptacle of the class described having a body panel constituting one face of the box, foldable unscored panels extending laterally from the body panel at the four sides to form the main area of the sides and ends of the receptacle, fold over flaps united to the side and end panels to constitute the opposite face of the box,

and a plurality of narrow panels connecting the said flaps with the respective side and end panels, there being score lines delining said narrow panels to adapt the latter to form part either of the flaps or the adjacent panels, there being additional score lines adjacent to the free ends of the turn-over flaps and distant from those score lines adjacent to the side panels, said additional score lines dividing the edge portion into a plurality of small panels, any of which may be folded down onto the adjacent side panel when the flaps are folded over.

2. A folding receptacle of the class described having a body panel constituting one face of the box, foldable unscored panels extending laterally from the body panel at the four sides to form the main area of the sides and ends of the receptacle, fold-over flaps united to the side and end panels to constitute the opposite face of the box, and a plurality of narrow panels connecting the said flaps with the respective side and end panels, there being score lines defining said narrow )anels to ada at the latter to form part eit er of the aps on the adjacent panels, there being additional score lines adjacent to the free ends of the turn-over flaps and distant from those score lines adjacent to the side panels, said additional score lines dividing the edge portion into a plurality of small panels, any of which may be folded down onto the adjacent side panel when the flaps are folded over; to-

gether with a wrapper for'said receptacle and of greater width than the same at the body panel, side panels, and flaps to present side portions therebeyond, said side portions having adhesive material applied thereto and extending at the sides of the score lines including certain of the score lines adjacent to the free edges of the flaps.

3. A foldable box including panels foldable to form the various sides of the box, and a wrapper therefor extending at the sides beyond the side edges of the box members and having adhesive material thereon;

together with sealing flaps at the side edges of the wrapper and positioned respectively adjacent to the ends of the wrapper and the center thereof, those portions of the wrapper having the end flaps and center flaps presenting with said flaps a greater width than the portions between the center and end flaps, and said center flaps extending beyond the end flaps.

4. A knockdown receptacle including foldable members to form the various sides and ends of the'box, and a wrapper therefor having sealing flaps projecting from the wrapper at the side edges adjacent to the ends, and a larger sealing flap projecting from the side edges of the wrapper at the approximate center to correspond in position with the positions of the end members of the box,'the intermediate portions of the wrapper, between the center and end flaps, being of a width to lie within the outer edges of the flaps.

5. A knockdown receptacle including foldable members to form the front, back, sides and the ends of the box, and a wrapper therefor of greater width than those members of the box constituting the top, bottom and sides of the box, said wrapper having adhesive material extending longitudinally at the side edges at both sides of the end members, together with sealing flaps for the ends of the box, said flaps being disposed respectively adjacent to the ends of the wrapper at the sides thereof and extending beyond the first-mentioned adhesive areas, and central sealing flaps on the wrapper corresponding in position with the end flaps of the box and adapted to be sealed over the other flaps when the latter are folded onto and caused to adhere to the ends of the box.

6. A knockdown receptacle including foldable members to form the front, back, sides, and ends of a box, and a wrapper therefor of greater width than the width of those portions of the box constituting the front, back, and sides of said box, said wrapper having adhesive material extending longitudinally at the side edges thereof at both sides of the foldable end members of the box; together with sealingflaps on said wrapper for the ends of the box, said sealing flaps being disposed between and extending beyond said side edge portions of the wrapper and of substantial the same width as the box when folded and of a length to extend over the box and part of a side thereof, whereby all of the flaps are covered and locked against accidental disengagement.

PETER ALBERT HOFFMAN. 

